Which provided a framework for the establishment of a national government?

The Articles of Confederation provided a framework for the establishment of a national government in the United States. Ratified in 1781, it created a loose alliance of states with a weak central government, granting limited powers to Congress while emphasizing state sovereignty. However, its inability to effectively govern and address issues like taxation and interstate commerce eventually led to its replacement by the U.S. Constitution in 1789. The Constitution established a stronger federal government with a more balanced system of checks and balances.